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HTST 200 > L03 French Revolution > Flashcards

L03 French Revolution Flashcards

1
Q

What is considered one of the most important revolutions in European history?

A

The French Revolution (1789-1799).

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2
Q

What political change did the French Revolution bring about?

A

It transformed absolute monarchy into a republic.

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2
Q

What new problems did the democratic experiment of the French Revolution create?

A

Political and social problems, including issues of equality before the law and maintenance of order.

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3
Q

Did the French Revolution have a “pantheon of heroes”?

A

No, there was no real “pantheon of heroes,” which illustrates its contested legacy.

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4
Q

What consequence did the creation of a republic lead to?

A

It produced violence and a counterrevolution, ultimately leading to the protection of revolutionary gains by a dictator (Napoleon Bonaparte).

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5
Q

How does the French Revolution relate to Crane Brinton’s “fever chart” of Revolutions?

A

It more closely approximates the pattern described in the chart than the American Revolution.

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6
Q

What do Marx and Engels argue about the French Revolution in The Communist Manifesto (1848)?

A

They view it as a class-based (bourgeois) revolution that primarily benefited the emerging professional classes.

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6
Q

According to Marx and Engels, what is required to extend the benefits of modern industrial technology to all?

A

Further revolution.

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7
Q

What does de Tocqueville suggest about the outcome of the French Revolution in terms of state authority?

A

It created a more powerful central authority.

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8
Q

In The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856), what does Alexis de Tocqueville argue happened when class privileges were destroyed?

A

It removed obstacles to the expansion of state power over the individual.

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9
Q

How do the visions of Marx and Engels differ from de Tocqueville’s view of revolution?

A

Marx and Engels advocate for a progressive vision that benefits “the masses,” while de Tocqueville offers a more cautious view, suggesting that “the state” benefits more.

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10
Q

What are the two basic questions scholars pose about the French Revolution?

A

Why did the Revolution become so radical?
Why did it take place in a society seemingly so wealthy and prosperous?

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11
Q

What tension existed in French society leading up to the Revolution?

A

The tension between older customs and traditions and new ideas, technologies, and inventions.

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12
Q

How is French society described prior to the Revolution?

A

Rigidly structured but incredibly open to ideas and trade.

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13
Q

What was the feudal social structure in France based on?

A

Privilege, or literally, private law.

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13
Q

What was Louis XVI’s attempt regarding state reform based on?

A

Enlightenment ideals.

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14
Q

What characterized Old Regime France prior to 1789?

A

A society conditioned by hierarchy.

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15
Q

What were the three Estates in French society?

A

First Estate – Clergy (around 120,000)
Second Estate – Nobility (around 350,000)
Third Estate – Everyone else (around 27 million, or 98% of the population).

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16
Q

What assumption underpinned the social structure of Old Regime France?

A

The Divine Right of Kings.

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17
Q

What is the origin of the tale “Little Red Riding Hood”?

A

It is a French folk tale dating back to the 11th century.

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17
Q

When was “Little Red Riding Hood” published?

A

1697

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17
Q

How did the public perception of King Louis XVI differ from that of his wife, Marie Antoinette?

A

People seemed to like the king, but not so much his wife.

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18
Q

Who is credited as the author of the fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood”?

A

Charles Perrault

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19
Q

What contributed to the negative perception of Marie Antoinette?

A

Louis XVI’s timidity and indifference, as well as her close friendships that were seen as political liabilities.

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19
Q

How was Marie Antoinette perceived by the French people?

A

She was deeply disliked and regarded with suspicion because of her Austrian origins.

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19
Q

What did Charles Perrault do to the original story of “Little Red Riding Hood”?

A

He cleaned up parts of the story to make it more appropriate for children.

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20
Q

What was the purpose of the marriage between Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette on May 17, 1770?

A

To cement a newly-formed alliance between France and Austria.

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21
Q

What rumors circulated about Marie Antoinette during her marriage?

A

Rumors about her lavish tastes contributing to the state’s debt and her supposed infidelities.

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22
Q

What issue arose shortly after Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette’s marriage?

A

Their inability to produce a male heir.

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23
Q

Did the birth of Marie Antoinette’s second son in 1785 alleviate rumors against her?

A

No, it did little to quell the whisper campaign and feelings of contempt.

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24
Q

What role did the American Revolution (1775-1783) play in the French Revolution?

A

It was both a direct and indirect cause of the French Revolution.

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25
Q

What did the American Revolution inspire in French intellectual circles?

A

A flood of new ideas for debate regarding republicanism.

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25
Q

How did French military and financial support for the American Revolution affect France?

A

It compounded existing problems of prior debt and an economic downturn.

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26
Q

What financial crisis did France face in the 1780s?

A

A growing financial crisis that confounded Louis XVI’s government attempts to solve it.

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27
Q

What was the Eden Treaty (1786)?

A

A free trade deal between England and France establishing low tariffs and high quotas for exported goods.

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28
Q

How did the Eden Treaty affect French markets?

A

It led to less expensive British manufactured goods flooding French markets, creating unemployment.

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28
Q

What additional crisis compounded the financial problems in France?

A

A growing agrarian crisis following a series of crop failures.

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29
Q

By what year was the financial crisis in France particularly acute?

A

1788.

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30
Q

Why did Louis XVI summon the Estates General in 1789?

A

Out of desperation, as the need for reform was pressing and the Second Estate wouldn’t pass new taxes without it.

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31
Q

When was the last time the Estates General met before 1789?

A

In 1614.

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32
Q

What did Louis XVI ask the French people when summoning the Estates General?

A

“What’s wrong?”

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33
Q

What were the 60,000 cahiers de doléances?

A

Lists of grievances drawn up by the people.

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34
Q

What agreement was reached among members of all three Estates regarding monarchy?

A

That the days of rule by absolute monarchy were over.

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35
Q

What significant event occurred regarding royal censorship in the winter of 1788-89?

A

The decay and collapse of royal censorship.

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36
Q

What was the impact of the collapse of royal censorship?

A

More pamphlets were produced discussing the role and status of the Third Estate.

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37
Q

How did King Louis XVI respond to the economic crisis?

A

He was ambivalent, not wanting to reform but unable to run the state effectively.

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38
Q

How did the nobles perceive the economic crisis?

A

They saw it as an opportunity to regain lost power and influence.

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39
Q

What were the main complaints of the Third Estate?

A

The burden of financial obligations, tithes collected by the church, and the system of royal taxes.

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40
Q

What crisis emerged due to crop failure in 1788-89?

A

A subsistence crisis due to scarce grain and rising bread prices.

40
Q

What rumor began to circulate among the peasantry?

A

Rumors of an “aristocratic conspiracy.”

41
Q

What was the initial expectation when the Estates General met on May 5, 1789?

A

High expectations for reform.

42
Q

What procedural deadlock occurred during the Estates General?

A

Disagreement over who represents France, leading to individual sessions by each Estate.

43
Q

What significant declaration did the Third Estate make on June 17?

A

They declared they represent the nation and claimed sovereignty over the state.

43
Q

How did the failure of the King to lead affect the Third Estate?

A

It frustrated them but ultimately emboldened them.

44
Q

What pledge did the Third Estate take on June 20?

A

The Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to disband until a new constitution was created.

45
Q

What happened on June 27 regarding the National Assembly?

A

After some concessions, the King told the nobles and clergy to join the National Assembly.

46
Q

How did the majority of the nobility respond to the King’s invitation to join the National Assembly?

A

They initially refused until warned that Louis XVI’s life might be in danger.

47
Q

When did the Estates General convene?

A

May 5, 1789.

48
Q

Where did the Estates General meet?

A

In one of the grand halls of the palace at Versailles.

49
Q

What was the purpose of summoning the Estates General?

A

The financial crisis forced Louis XVI to summon the body.

50
Q

How did the setup of the Estates General emphasize authority?

A

The King sat on a throne at the front, flanked by the clergy (First Estate) and nobility (Second Estate), while the Third Estate was relegated to the back.

51
Q

What attire did the First and Second Estates wear during the meeting?

A

The clergy wore elaborate robes, and the nobility wore cloaks with gold trim.

52
Q

What were the members of the Third Estate required to wear?

A

Somber black cloaks.

53
Q

What became clear regarding the King’s plans during the meeting?

A

Neither the King nor his ministers had a plan to address the financial crisis or substantive issues for debate.

54
Q

What did moderate members of the Third Estate decide to do after weeks of fruitless debate?

A

They took it upon themselves to act on behalf of the nation without the participation of the other Estates or the King’s sanction.

55
Q

On what date did the Third Estate declare their responsibility for addressing the nation’s finances?

A

June 17, 1789.

56
Q

What significant event occurred on June 20, 1789?

A

The Tennis Court Oath, where members of the Third Estate vowed not to dissolve until France had a constitution.

57
Q

What was the hope of many members of the Third Estate regarding the Revolution?

A

They hoped it could be accomplished without violence.

58
Q

What was the National Assembly’s concern regarding Louis XVI during the early stages of the Revolution?

A

They feared the King might resort to using force against them.

59
Q

What was a significant trigger for demonstrations in Paris prior to the Storming of the Bastille?

A

The high price of bread, leading to grain riots.

60
Q

What rumors circulated among the peasantry during this period?

A

An “aristocratic conspiracy” of wealthy landowners to hoard bread.

60
Q

What famous quote is erroneously attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette regarding the bread crisis?

A

“Let them eat cake.”

61
Q

What event on July 11, 1789, triggered protests in Paris?

A

The King fired his popular finance minister, Jacques Necker.

62
Q

What was the significance of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789?

A

It marked a transition point in the Revolution, illustrating the growing power of the masses and the importance of Paris.

63
Q

What period is referred to as the “Great Fear”?

A

July 17 to August 3, 1789, characterized by rural unrest, strikes, riots, and revolts.

64
Q

What were the August Decrees (August 4-11, 1789)?

A

They abolished feudalism and the notion of the Divine Right of Kings.

65
Q

What was the reaction among the nobility and clergy to the events of the Revolution?

A

A conservative backlash wanting to reform rather than revolutionize France.

65
Q

What did the National Assembly issue before crafting a constitution?

A

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen on August 26, 1789.

66
Q

What principles did the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen assert?

A

The rights of individual citizens and the notion that sovereignty resided in the people

67
Q

What was the Bastille and why was it significant?

A

A medieval fortress and prison that symbolized royal authority and was stormed as a powerful act of defiance.

68
Q

How did the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen reflect Enlightenment ideas?

A

It proclaimed universal principles and emphasized that laws should reflect the will of the people.

69
Q

What did the Declaration state about property rights and social distinctions?

A

It preserved property rights and acknowledged distinctions due to wealth, education, or talent as natural and legitimate.

70
Q

What dual strategy did Louis XVI employ after the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen?

A

Publicly supported the Revolution while privately plotting to stop or overturn it.

71
Q

How did Marie Antoinette react to the Revolution?

A

She did not pretend to support it and pleaded with other European courts to intervene.

72
Q

What event prompted the royal family to move to Paris in October 1789?

A

The march of 10,000 women to Versailles.

73
Q

What was the significance of the “Flight to Varennes” on June 20, 1791?

A

It marked a turning point as the royal family was captured trying to flee France for Austria.

74
Q

What did Louis XVI leave behind that radicalized the Revolution?

A

A handwritten note criticizing the Revolution.

75
Q

What was the National Assembly’s initial response to the king’s attempted escape?

A

They tried to cover it up by claiming the king was kidnapped.

76
Q

How did the Flight to Varennes affect moderates in the Assembly?

A

They realized it could complicate their goal of establishing a constitutional monarchy.

77
Q

What fear was stoked by the events surrounding Louis XVI’s actions?

A

The fear of foreign intervention, especially after Austria and Prussia called on other monarchs to crush the Revolution.

78
Q

Describe the King’s attempt to escape during the Flight to Varennes.

A

It was a tragi-comic bid for freedom, recognized almost immediately by locals.

79
Q

Who emerged as an important Jacobin leader during this period?

A

Maximillian Robespierre, despite his lack of physical presence and mediocre public speaking.

79
Q

What change in leadership occurred in Austria after the death of Emperor Leopold II?

A

Franz II became emperor and was more prone to rash actions.

80
Q

What role did Jacques-Rene Hebert’s journal, Le Pere Duchesne, play during the Revolution?

A

It became an important and increasingly radical platform advocating for violence and the Jacobin cause.

81
Q

What general sentiment grew in France regarding war in 1792?

A

Different factions wanted war: Jacobins to reinvigorate the Revolution, Girondins to solidify a constitutional monarchy, and Louis XVI to seek rescue.

82
Q

When did Louis XVI declare war on Austria?

A

April 20, 1792.

83
Q

What significant event occurred on May 21, 1792?

A

Prussia joined Austria in the conflict against France.

84
Q

What was the Brunswick Manifesto, issued in July 1792?

A

A warning to the French government about dire consequences if any harm came to the royal family.

85
Q

What happened on August 10, 1792?

A

The Legislative Assembly overthrew Louis XVI and called for a new constitution, marking the beginning of a second, more popular Revolution.

85
Q

What led to the September Massacres of 1792?

A

Military setbacks and fears that Paris would fall to invading armies prompted enraged mobs to kill approximately 1,000 imprisoned clergy and nobles.

86
Q

How did the revolution radicalize in autumn 1792?

A

The sans-culottes, mobilized by Robespierre, became a force for violence and terror, focusing on justice and equality.

87
Q

What were the Fraternity and Assistance decrees issued in November 1792?

A

They pledged support to any people seeking to overthrow their monarchs, promoting the spread of revolution outside France.

88
Q

What was the outcome of Louis XVI’s trial for treason in November 1792?

A

He was convicted 693-0, but the vote on execution was much closer, resulting in his execution by guillotine on January 14, 1793.

88
Q

What effect did Louis XVI’s execution have on Europe?

A

It galvanized European feelings against the Revolution and made France subject to invasion by summer 1793.

89
Q

What military setbacks in late summer 1792 influenced the Revolution’s radicalization?

A

Setbacks led radicals to question the need for a king, diminishing the influence of moderates in the Assembly.

90
Q

What were the two key questions facing the revolutionaries regarding the monarchy?

A

1) What to replace the monarchy with? 2) What to do with the deposed king?

90
Q

Why did radicals argue for the execution of Louis XVI?

A

They believed it was essential for the Revolution’s survival and would unify disparate factions by demonstrating that there was no turning back.

91
Q

What was the vote count for Louis XVI’s execution in the National Convention?

A

Unanimously convicted of treason, with a narrow majority of 387 to 344 voting for execution.

92
Q

Who rose to power during the radical phase of the Revolution?

A

The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, became the dominant force.

93
Q

What was the Levee en masse, established on August 23, 1793?

A

It called for the conscription of all resources, both human and material, for the war effort.

94
Q

What characterized the three elements of the Terror?

A

Centralized power in the Committee of Public Safety, reliance on the sans-culottes, and laws to punish perceived enemies.

95
Q

How many people were estimated to have been killed during the Terror?

A

Approximately 11,000-18,000 were killed, and about 300,000 were imprisoned

96
Q

What did Jacobin leader Louis Antoine Saint-Just say about the Terror?

A

It aimed to punish “not merely the traitors, but also the indifferent.”

97
Q

What event marked the end of the Reign of Terror?

A

The execution of leading Jacobins, including Robespierre, on July 28, 1794.

97
Q

What followed the Reign of Terror?

A

The Thermidorian Reaction, a period of conservative consolidation and the creation of a new government and Constitution.

98
Q

What did the Constitution of 1795 establish?

A

A bicameral legislative assembly and a collective executive of 5 Directors to prevent concentration of power.

99
Q

What were the ongoing challenges during the Directory period (1794-1799)?

A

Foreign wars and domestic unrest continued to persist despite the new government.

100
Q

What significant event occurred in 1799 regarding the Directory?

A

A coup plot overthrew the Directory and placed General Napoleon Bonaparte in power.

101
Q

How did Napoleon establish stability after the coup?

A

By concentrating power in his hands and overseeing the promulgation of a new Constitution that declared him “Consul for life” in 1802.

102
Q

What did Napoleon call for to address the chaos of the French Revolution?

A

A return to law and order.

103
Q

Who emerged as the “man on a white horse” by 1799?

A

Napoleon Bonaparte.

104
Q

What significant action did Napoleon take regarding the French government?

A

He ended the Republic and established himself as a virtual dictator in France.

HTST 200 (18 decks)

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